I've been looking for an enclosure for my rims element and looked at a few of the ones that people have done on here and other sites. I like the all stainless version and may get there some day, but for now here is what I've came up with.

I started with a 1/2" conduit LB

and 1/2" bushing

I cut the fitting off the backside of the LB and filed it smooth with the back.
Traced out the shape of the element head onto cardboard, cut out the pattern, and then traced the pattern onto the fitting. Broke out the dremel and whittled out the LB hole to match the element head.
Once it fit snug i roughed all the contact surfaces up and mixed up some 30 minute 2-part z-poxy
I spread a bit of the epoxy between the element head and the bottom of the LB. I filled the inside of the LB with enough epoxy to get it up to the bottom of the electrical connections. Instead of trying to get the wire under the usual element screw terminals I added post style connectors to the element for easier connections.

Nice! I am looking for something just like this. I am thinking about a stock pot that only has about a 2.5 inch gap between the steamer and the kettle. There are sites that use a 4.5 inch gang box or a 2.81 inch gage box, but I worry about the space that will be left behind for the heat stick. This might be the solution to this problem.

Nice! I am looking for something just like this. I am thinking about a stock pot that only has about a 2.5 inch gap between the steamer and the kettle. There are sites that use a 4.5 inch gang box or a 2.81 inch gage box, but I worry about the space that will be left behind for the heat stick. This might be the solution to this problem.

How does that fit up along the kettle though?

This is for my rims tube, so I don't have it fitted on a kettle, but you would just need a ferrule soldered/welded to the kettle for to clamp to.

Quote:

Originally Posted by alien

2 questions.

1. When it heats up, will the different coefficients of expansion of metal and plastic stress the epoxy?
2. If you need to change the element, won't you need a new housing?

1. Time will tell, but the housing is stuck mostly to the plastic element head, so even if the bond to the metal does break, the head should remain bonded to the pvc lb.
2. yup, but that will be penance for dry-firing an element and not paying attention like I should be.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BSD_Glass

If you're already set up for triclovers, why not just buy the element enclosure package from still dragon or brewers hardware and be done with it?

still Dragon is like $36 and BH is like $70 for something you never will have to replace.

This is the way I'm going with my new HLT and BK builds...

Cheers.

BSD

$36 or $70 is the reason. I'm out about $5 and that may be more in line with some peoples budgets, but like I said I have the pieces for TC enclosures, but put this together for the time being. The dragon and BH enclosures are a nice design and mine will be similar, but cheaper and made by me.